Double-Gate FETs (field effect transistors)

ABSTRACT

A semiconductor structure and method for forming the same. The structure includes multiple fin regions disposed between first and second source/drain (S/D) regions. The structure further includes multiple front gates and back gates, each of which is sandwiched between two adjacent fin regions such that the front gates and back gates are alternating (i.e., one front gate then one back gate and then one front gate, and so on). The widths of the front gates are greater than the widths of the back gates. The capacitances of between the front gates and the S/D regions are smaller than the capacitances of between the back gates and the S/D regions. The distances between the front gates and the S/D regions are greater than the distances between the back gates and the S/D regions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to FETs (Field Effect Transistors), and more specifically, to double-gate FETs.

2. Related Art

Dopant fluctuations are becoming a serious problem in Vt (threshold voltage) control in advanced semiconductor devices. As semiconductor devices become smaller and smaller in size, Vt control becomes more difficult. A known solution is to use back gates (in addition to front gates) in the semiconductor devices to control Vt. By adjusting the voltage applied to the back gates, Vt of devices can be adjusted (i.e., controlled). However, back gates occupy chip areas, and as a result, device density is reduced.

As a result, there is a need for a device structure (and method for forming the same), in which chip areas for back gates are relatively small compared to the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a semiconductor structure, comprising (a) a semiconductor substrate comprising a substrate top surface; (b) first and second source/drain (S/D) regions on the semiconductor substrate; (c) a first fin region on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the first fin region is disposed between and in direct physical contact with the first and second source/drain regions; (d) a front gate region on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the front gate region is electrically insulated from the first fin region by a first front gate dielectric region, and wherein the first front gate dielectric region and the first fin region comprise a first common interfacing surface that is essentially perpendicular to the substrate top surface; and (e) a back gate region on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the back gate region is electrically insulated from the first fin region by a first back gate dielectric region, wherein the first back gate dielectric region and the first fin region comprise a second common interfacing surface that is essentially perpendicular to the substrate top surface, wherein the first fin region is sandwiched between the front gate region and the back gate region, and wherein a first back gate capacitance between the back gate region and the first S/D region is at least 1.5 times a first front gate capacitance between the front gate region and the first S/D region.

The present invention also provides a semiconductor structure, comprising (a) a semiconductor substrate comprising a substrate top surface; (b) first and second source/drain (S/D) regions on the semiconductor substrate; (c) first, second, and third fin regions being disposed between and in direct physical contact with the first and second source/drain regions, wherein the first fin region is disposed between the second and third fin regions; (d) a front gate region sandwiched between the first and second fin regions, wherein the front gate region is electrically insulated from the first and second fin regions by first and second front gate dielectric regions, respectively, and wherein the first front gate dielectric region and the first fin region comprise a first common interfacing surface that is essentially perpendicular to the substrate top surface; and (e) a back gate region sandwiched between the first and third source/drain regions, wherein the back gate region is electrically insulated from the first and third fin regions by first and second back gate dielectric regions, respectively, wherein the first back gate dielectric region and the first fin region comprise a second common interfacing surface that is essentially perpendicular to the substrate top surface, and wherein a first distance between the first and second fin regions is at least 1.5 times a second distance between the first and third fin regions.

The present invention also provides a semiconductor structure fabrication method, comprising providing (i) a semiconductor layer, (ii) first and second spacer regions on the semiconductor layer, and (iii) a type-1 gate trench region on the semiconductor layer, wherein the type-1 gate trench region is sandwiched between the first and second spacer regions; etching a type-1 gate trench in the type-1 gate trench region and the semiconductor layer; filling the type-1 gate trench so as to form a type-1 gate region, wherein the type-1 gate region is electrically insulated from the semiconductor layer by a type-1 gate dielectric layer, and wherein the type-1 gate region is sandwiched between first and second source/drain (S/D) regions of the semiconductor layer; etching the first spacer region so as to form a first spacer on a first side wall of the type-1 gate region; using the first spacer as a blocking mask to etch the semiconductor layer without etching the first and second source/drain regions so as to form a first fin region on the first side wall of the type-1 gate region; and forming a first type-2 gate block on a second side wall of the first fin region, wherein the first type-2 gate block is electrically insulated from the first fin region, and the first and second source/drain regions.

The present invention also provides a device structure (and method for forming the same), in which chip areas for back gates are relatively small compared to the prior art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1–12 illustrate a fabrication method for forming a semiconductor structure, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1–11 illustrate a fabrication method for forming a semiconductor structure 100, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. More specifically, with reference to FIG. 1, the method can start with an SOI (Silicon On Insulator) substrate 110,120,130 which comprises a bottom semiconductor (e.g., silicon, germanium, etc.) layer 110, a buried dielectric (e.g., silicon dioxide, etc.) layer 120, and a top semiconductor layer 130.

Next, a first spacer region 140 can be formed on top of the semiconductor layer 130. In one embodiment, the first spacer region 140 can comprise a nitride material (e.g., silicon nitride). The first spacer region 140 can be formed by (a) forming a first spacer layer (not shown) on top of the semiconductor layer 130, then (b) using a lithography process to form a mask (not shown) to cover portions of the first spacer layer where the first spacer region 140 is to be formed, and finally (c) using the mask as a blocking mask to etch the first spacer layer to form the first spacer region 140. FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the structure 100 after the first spacer region 140 is formed.

Next, with reference to FIG. 2, a back gate trench region 210 can be formed on the semiconductor layer 130 and on side walls of the first spacer region 140. In one embodiment, the back gate trench region 210 can be formed by forming a back gate trench layer (not shown) on top of the entire structure 100 of FIG. 1, and then directionally etching back the back gate trench layer so as to form the back gate trench region 210. The back gate trench region 210 can comprise silicon dioxide. FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the structure 100 after the back gate trench region 210 is formed.

Next, with reference to FIG. 3, a second spacer region 310 can be formed on top of the semiconductor layer 130 and on side walls of the back gate trench region 210. In one embodiment, the second spacer region 310 can comprise a nitride material (e.g., silicon nitride) and can be formed by first depositing a second spacer layer (not shown) of nitride on top of the entire structure 100 of FIG. 2 and then planarizing a top surface (not shown) of the second spacer layer using, illustratively, a CMP (chemical mechanical polishing) process until a top surface 212 of the back gate trench region 210 is exposed to the atmosphere. FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of the structure 100 after the CMP process is finished.

Next, a patterned mask (not shown in FIG. 3, but shown in FIG. 4 as the mask 410) can be formed covering the entire structure 100 of FIG. 3 except a strip 315 of a top surface 320 of the structure 100. FIG. 4 illustrates an enlarged top-down view of a section 150 of the structure 100 of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-section view of the structure 100 of FIG. 4 along a line 5—5.

Next, with reference to FIG. 6, a back gate trench 610 can be formed in the back gate trench region 210 (FIG. 5), the semiconductor layer 130, and the buried dielectric layer 120 such that the bottom semiconductor layer 110 is exposed to the atmosphere in the trench 610. In one embodiment, the back gate trench 610 can be formed by first vertically etching the back gate trench region 210 (FIG. 5) using the patterned mask 410 (FIG. 4) as a blocking mask. Then, the back gate trench 610 can be extended down further by vertically etching the top semiconductor layer 130 and then the buried dielectric layer 120 using the patterned mask 410 (FIG. 4), the first spacer region 140, and the second spacer region 310 as a blocking mask. Then, the pattern mask 410 (FIG. 4) can be removed.

Next, a back gate dielectric layer 620 can be formed on the side wall of the back gate trench 610 at the semiconductor layer 130. In one embodiment, the back gate dielectric layer 620 can be formed by thermally oxidizing surfaces of the semiconductor layer 130 that are exposed to the atmosphere in the trench 610. This thermal oxidation process can result in a by-product (the oxide region 630) at the bottom of the back gate trench 610. This is because surfaces of the bottom semiconductor layer 110 that are exposed to the atmosphere in the back gate trench 610 are also thermally oxidized by the thermal oxidation process. FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-section view of the structure 100 after the thermal oxidation process is complete.

Next, a thin polysilicon layer (not shown) can be formed on the side wall of the trench 610 so as to protect the back gate dielectric layer 620 during the removal of the oxide region 630 at the bottom of the back gate trench 610. In one embodiment, the thin polysilicon layer can be formed by depositing polysilicon on the entire structure 100 of FIG. 6, using, illustratively, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. The deposited polysilicon layer covers not only the back gate dielectric layer 620 on the side wall of the back gate trench 610 but also the oxide region 630 at the bottom of the back gate trench 610. Next, portions of the deposited polysilicon layer at the bottom of the back gate trench 610 can be removed without removing portions of the deposited polysilicon layer on the side wall of the back gate trench 610. This polysilicon removal process can be performed by directionally (i.e., vertically) etching the deposited polysilicon layer. As a result, the oxide region 630 is exposed to the atmosphere in the back gate trench 610 whereas the back gate dielectric layer 620 is still covered by the deposited polysilicon layer. Next, with the back gate dielectric layer 620 being protected by the deposited polysilicon layer, the oxide region 630 at the bottom of the back gate trench 610 can be removed by, illustratively, a wet etching process. Next, polysilicon can be deposited to fill the back gate trench 610 and the extra polysilicon material outside the back gate trench 610 can be removed by, illustratively, a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process. A cross-section view of the resultant structure 100 is shown in FIG. 7A in which the polysilicon material that fills the back gate trench 610 (FIG. 6) forms a back gate region 710. It should be noted that because the back gate region 710 is in direct physical contact with the semiconductor layer 110 (i.e., the substrate 110), the back gate region 710 can be electrically accessed via the semiconductor layer 110.

Next, a top surface 712 of the back gate region 710 can be thermally oxidized to form an oxide cap region 720 (FIG. 7B). Next, a patterned mask (not shown in FIG. 7A, but shown in FIG. 7B as the patterned mask 715) can be formed on top of the structure 100 of FIG. 7A. FIG. 7B illustrates a top-down view of the structure 100 of FIG. 7A after the patterned mask 715 is formed. The patterned mask 715 can cover all but a strip 717 of the top surface of the structure 100 such that the entire top surface 712 of the back gate region 710 is still exposed to the atmosphere. In other words, the width 718 of the strip 717 is greater than the width 711 of the back gate region 710.

Next, a directional (vertical) etching of the first spacer region 140 and the second spacer region 310 can be performed using the patterned mask 715 as a blocking mask. A cross-section view along the line 8A—8A of the resultant structure 100 is shown in FIG. 8A. As can be seen in FIG. 8A, spacers 140′ and 310′ are formed on side walls of the back gate region 710 as a result of the directional etching of the first spacer region 140 and the second spacer region 310, respectively. FIG. 8B illustrates a perspective view of the structure 100 of FIG. 8A.

Next, with reference to FIG. 9A, the semiconductor layer 130 can be directionally etched using the spacers 140′ and 310′ as a blocking mask. As a result, fin regions 130 a and 130 b are formed on side walls of the back gate region 710 (but electrically insulated from the back gate region 710 by the back gate dielectric layer 620). FIG. 9B illustrates a perspective view of the structure 100 of FIG. 9A. As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the fin regions 130 a and 130 b are also formed on side walls of the back gate trench region 210. The other portions of the semiconductor layer 130 (other than the fin regions 130 a and 130 b) will be doped with impurities so as to form source/drain (S/D) regions 130 c and 130 d. As can be seen in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the purpose of the patterned mask 717 is to define the fin regions 130 a and 130 b and the source/drain regions 130 c and 130 d in the semiconductor layer 130 (by defining the spacers 140′ and 310′. FIG. 9C illustrates a top-down view of the structure 100 of FIG. 9A along a line 9C—9C.

Next, with reference to FIG. 10A, front gate dielectric layers 1005 a and 1005 b can be formed on side walls of the fin regions 130 a and 130 b, respectively. In one embodiment, the front gate dielectric layers 1005 a and 1005 b can be formed by thermally oxidizing surfaces of the fin regions 130 a and 130 b that are exposed to the atmosphere.

Next, front gate blocks 1010 a and 1010 b can be formed on side walls of the fin regions 130 a and 130 b, respectively (but electrically insulated from the fin regions 130 a and 130 b by the front gate dielectric layers 1005 a and 1005 b, respectively). In one embodiment, front gate blocks 1010 a and 1010 b can comprise polysilicon. Illustratively, the front gate blocks 1010 a and 1010 b can be formed by depositing polysilicon on top of the entire structure 100 of FIG. 9A and then planarizing a top surface of the structure 100. FIG. 10B illustrates a top-down view of the structure 100 of FIG. 10A along a line 10B—10B.

Next, with reference to FIG. 11A, front gate regions 1110 a and 1110 b can be formed from the front gate blocks 1010 a and 1010 b (FIG. 10B), respectively. In one embodiment, the front gate regions 1110 a and 1110 b can be formed by first forming a mask (not shown) on top of the structure 100 of FIG. 10A and then etching the front gate blocks 1010 a and 1010 b (FIG. 10A) so as to form the front gate regions 1110 a and 1110 b. Then, the spaces of the removed portions of the front gate blocks 1010 a and 1010 b of FIG. 10A can be filled with a dielectric material (e.g., silicon dioxide). FIG. 11B illustrates the structure 100 of FIG. 11A after the dielectric filling.

With reference to FIG. 11B, the width 713 of the back gate region 710 is determined by the width 213 of the back gate trench region 210 (FIG. 2). Because the back gate trench region 210 can be formed very thin (i.e., small width 213), the back gate region 710 can be formed very small (i.e., small width 713) resulting in a saving of chip areas. Also as a result, the width 713 of the back gate region 710 can be made substantially smaller than the widths 1115 a and 1115 b of the front gate regions 1110 a and 1110 b, respectively.

In FIG. 11B, the view of the structure 100 is expanded to the right so that another fin region 1140 similar to the fin regions 130 a and 130 b is shown. Also, a back gate region 1150 similar to the back gate region 710 is shown. In one embodiment, the distance 1116 between the fin regions 130 a and 1140 is at least 1.5 times the distance 1117 between the fin regions 130 a and 130 b.

In addition, the distance 1112 a between the front gate region 1110 a and the S/D region 130 c determines a first front gate capacitance between the front gate region 1110 a and the S/D region 130 c. More specifically, the first front gate capacitance is inversely proportional to the distance 1112 a.

Similarly, the distance 1114 a between the front gate region 1110 a and the S/D region 130 d determines a second front gate capacitance between the front gate region 1110 a and the S/D region 130 d. More specifically, the second front gate capacitance is inversely proportional to the distance 1114 a.

Similarly, the distance 1112 b between the front gate region 1110 b and the S/D region 130 c determines a third front gate capacitance between the front gate region 1110 b and the S/D region 130 c. More specifically, the third front gate capacitance is inversely proportional to the distance 1112 b.

Similarly, the distance 1114 b between the front gate region 1110 b and the S/D region 130 d determines a fourth front gate capacitance between the front gate region 1110 b and the S/D region 130 d. More specifically, the fourth front gate capacitance is inversely proportional to the distance 1114 b.

As a result, the distances 1112 a, 1114 a, 1112 b, and 1114 b can be determined so as to have the first, second, third, and fourth front gate capacitances (a) being substantially smaller than a first back gate capacitance between the back gate region 710 and the S/D region 130 c and (b) being substantially smaller than a second back gate capacitance between the back gate region 710 and the S/D region 130 d.

In one embodiment, each of the first, second, third, and fourth front gate capacitances is at least 1.5 times either of the first and second back gate capacitances.

In one embodiment, the distance 1112 a is at least 1.5 times a thickness 1118 of the back gate dielectric layer 620.

It should noted that, regarding the back gate region 710, large first and second back gate capacitances may be acceptable in terms of performance because the back gate region 710 is usually held to a fixed voltage during the operation of the structure 100. Regarding the front gate regions 1110 a and 1110 b whose voltages may be switching during the operation of the structure 100, the first, second, third, and fourth front gate capacitances can be reduced by increasing the distances 1112 a, 1114 a, 1112 b, and 1114 b, respectively, so as to minimize the performance degradation due to the first, second, third, and fourth front gate capacitances.

FIG. 12 is a zoom-out view of the structure 100 of FIG. 11B. In FIG. 12, the front gates (FG) and the back gates (BG) are interleaved and disposed between the first and second S/D regions. A fin region is sandwiched between two adjacent front gate and back gate. The front gates and back gates are electrically insulated from the first and second S/D regions and the fin regions by dielectric regions (D).

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, many modifications and changes will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to encompass all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention. 

1. A semiconductor structure, comprising: (a) a semiconductor substrate comprising a substrate top surface; (b) first and second source/drain (S/D) regions on the semiconductor substrate; (c) a first fin region on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the first fin region is disposed between and in direct physical contact with the first and second source/drain regions; (d) a front gate region on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the front gate region is electrically insulated from the first fin region by a first front gate dielectric region, and wherein the first front gate dielectric region and the first fin region comprise a first common interfacing surface that is essentially perpendicular to the substrate top surface; and (e) a back gate region on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the back gate region is electrically insulated from the first fin region by a first back gate dielectric region, wherein the first back gate dielectric region and the first fin region comprise a second common interfacing surface that is essentially perpendicular to the substrate top surface, wherein the first fin region is sandwiched between the front gate region and the back gate region, and wherein a first back gate capacitance between the back gate region and the first S/D region is at least 1.5 times a first front gate capacitance between the front gate region and the first S/D region.
 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein a total back gate capacitance is at least 1.5 times a total front gate capacitance, wherein the total back gate capacitance equals the first back gate capacitance plus a second back gate capacitance between the back gate region and the second S/D region, and wherein the total front gate capacitance equals the first front gate capacitance plus a second front gate capacitance between the front gate region and the second S/D region.
 3. The structure of claim 2, further comprising second and third fin regions on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the second and third fin regions are disposed between and in direct physical contact with the first and second source/drain regions, wherein the first fin region is disposed between the second and third fin regions, wherein the front gate region is sandwiched between the first and second fin regions, wherein the front gate region is electrically insulated from the second fin region by a second front gate dielectric region, wherein the back gate region is sandwiched between the first and third fin regions, and wherein the back gate region is electrically insulated from the third fin region by a second back gate dielectric region.
 4. The structure of claim 2, wherein a front gate distance between the front gate region and the first S/D region in a reference direction is at least 1.5 times a back gate distance between the back gate region and the first S/D region in the reference direction, wherein the reference direction is essentially parallel to the substrate top surface and the first and second common interfacing surfaces, and wherein the first and second common interfacing surfaces are essentially parallel to each other.
 5. The structure of claim 2, wherein the substrate comprises a dielectric layer, wherein the first fin region, the front gate region, the back gate region, and the first and second source/drain regions are on and in direct physical contact with the dielectric layer.
 6. The structure of claim 5, wherein the substrate further comprises a semiconductor layer beneath the dielectric layer, wherein the dielectric layer is sandwiched between the semiconductor layer and a combination of the first fin region, the front gate region, the back gate region, and the first and second source/drain regions.
 7. The structure of claim 6, wherein the back gate region is in direct physical contact with the semiconductor layer through an opening in the dielectric layer.
 8. A semiconductor structure, comprising: (a) a semiconductor substrate comprising a substrate top surface; (b) first and second source/drain (S/D) regions on the semiconductor substrate; (c) first, second, and third fin regions being disposed between and in direct physical contact with the first and second source/drain regions, wherein the first fin region is disposed between the second and third fin regions; (d) a front gate region sandwiched between the first and second fin regions, wherein the front gate region is electrically insulated from the first and second fin regions by first and second front gate dielectric regions, respectively, and wherein the first front gate dielectric region and the first fin region comprise a first common interfacing surface that is essentially perpendicular to the substrate top surface; and (e) a back gate region sandwiched between the first and second source/drain regions, wherein the back gate region is electrically insulated from the first and third fin regions by first and second back gate dielectric regions, respectively, wherein the first back gate dielectric region and the first fin region comprise a second common interfacing surface that is essentially perpendicular to the substrate top surface, and wherein a first distance between the first and second fin regions is at least 1.5 times a second distance between the first and third fin regions.
 9. The structure of claim 8, wherein a first back gate capacitance between the back gate region and the first S/D region is at least 1.5 times a first front gate capacitance between the front gate region and the first S/D region.
 10. The structure of claim 9, wherein a total back gate capacitance is at least 1.5 times a total front gate capacitance, wherein the total back gate capacitance equals the first back gate capacitance plus a second back gate capacitance between the back gate region and the second S/D region, and wherein the total front gate capacitance equals the first front gate capacitance plus a second front gate capacitance between the front gate region and the second S/D region.
 11. The structure of claim 8, wherein a front gate distance between the front gate region and the first S/D region in a reference direction is at least 1.5 times a back gate distance between the back gate region and the first S/D region in the reference direction, wherein the reference direction is essentially parallel to the substrate top surface and the first and second common interfacing surfaces, and wherein the first and second common interfacing surfaces are essentially parallel to each other.
 12. The structure of claim 8, wherein the substrate comprises a dielectric layer, wherein the first, second, and third fin regions, the front gate region, the back gate region, and the first and second source/drain regions are on and in direct physical contact with the dielectric layer.
 13. The structure of claim 12, wherein the substrate further comprises a semiconductor layer beneath the dielectric layer, wherein the dielectric layer is sandwiched between the semiconductor layer and a combination of the first, second, and third fin regions, the front gate region, the back gate region, and the first and second source/drain regions.
 14. The structure of claim 13, wherein the back gate region is in direct physical contact with the semiconductor layer through an opening in the dielectric layer. 